Microsoft has been taking a lot of flak about Vista’s “sluggish” (to be polite) behavior in various environments. Users have complained about long boot times, low battery life on laptops, and generally poor performance all around. If the latest revelations about Windows 7 are true, then Redmond is listening to it customer base.

The problem with any OS, or any application in general, is that adding functionality makes for a heavier product. The snazzier the graphics, the more full-featured the product, the more resources it’ll consume. This is why Windows 3.1 took maybe 10MB on disk, while Vista needs several GB.

In the software biz, we call it “creeping functionality.” Generally it happens in response to user demand, but only certain user segments need specific features. Business users generally require fine grained security and special management features, whereas home users couldn’t care less and will never use them. Likewise, home users want ease of use and snappy graphics that many business users just don’t need. The problem is how to please both groups without making the product unusable.

We see function creep in other industries as well. The cars of today, for instance, are filled with bells-and-whistles that were unheard of even a decade ago. An in-dash GPS? Built-in satellite radio? A rear-view camera? These are all features that some user groups want (and sometimes even need), but they all add weight and cost to the end product. The heavier the car, the more gas it uses. More features? Each one adds complexity and additional “failure points.”

With luck, Windows 7 will meet expectations and will make users happier than they are with Vista. But the product footprint and impact will continue to grow as long as more features are added. It’s unavoidable. If Microsoft can improve performance in the new release, it’ll go a long way toward keeping its user base happy. At least for now.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 6th, 2008 at 11:18 am and is filed under Uncategorized, Windows, Windows Vista. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.